


experience in flying

by Quillium



Series: natsume week 2k19 [2]
Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Fantasy AU, Gen, Touko is a witch and knows about youkai, Tumblr: Natsume Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 11:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19440940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillium/pseuds/Quillium
Summary: “Mm,” Natsume closes his eyes and leans into Touko’s touch, “’s okay. Was my fault for surprising the dragon.”“Maybe you should just avoid dragons,” Touko suggests.





	experience in flying

**Author's Note:**

> All you need to know is: This is a world where youkai are known but still not seen by all, witches exist and Touko is one.

Natsume decides to return the dragon’s name on a rainy day, where the wind is strong and the rain is so heavy that there’s a constant layer of water over the ground even as the sewers swallow up little waterfalls from the edges of sidewalk curbs.

Touko shakes her head but doesn’t hold him back when he tells her what he’s going to do. She knows better. All Touko does is tuck a small piece of folded paper into his pocket.

“For protection,” she says, the strength of someone who cannot see youkai but holds her own brand of magic, shown in the witch’s runes and crystals hung around their home. “To prevent serious injuries.”

“Thank you, Touko-san,” he says and kisses her cheek.

“You take care of him, Nyanko,” Touko says sternly, raising her eyebrows at Nyanko-sensei.

“I will,” Nyanko-sensei sighs, though all Touko hears is a meow. Natsume is comforted by it all the same.

His boots are soaked on the way there, the cold of the water has reached his bones by the time they get to the mountain, a muddy and slippery terrain.

“We could always come back another day,” Nyanko-sensei suggests, “Or, you know, never. Dragons are quite powerful. You could do a lot worse than having a dragon under your control.”

“I don’t want _anyone_ under my control,” Natsume answers, shaking his head. The bells in his hair jingle, a gift from Shigeru enchanted to remind him that he is loved.

“Bah. I’ll never understand you humans.”

Natsume laughs and climbs the mountain. There are a few close calls, but he manages to make it. The dragon is sleeping when he reaches the top, and he decides to approach anyway.

It’s a mistake.

He surprises it and the next thing he knows his chest is stinging and he’s flying and—

Everything

goes

pitch

black.

* * *

He wakes to sunlight filtering through the window, bits of dust suspended in the air, and a cool compress on his forehead.

“Ah—Nyanko-sensei?”

“He’s sleeping on the table,” Touko’s voice says, and there’s the feeling of thin fingers running through his hair. “It seems you may have bit off a bit more than you could chew, Takashi-kun.”

“Mm,” Natsume closes his eyes and leans into Touko’s touch, “’s okay. Was my fault for surprising the dragon.”

“Maybe you should just avoid dragons,” Touko suggests.

“Had to return its name.”

“That’s quite noble of you,” Touko says. She leans over and kisses his cheek, “Maybe wait until your injuries are healed to try again? And wait for a day that isn’t so rainy and treacherous?”

“I went in the rain to make sure it wouldn’t cause any lasting damage if it breathed out fire,” Natsume explains.

“Seems there was still quite a bit of damage done,” Touko clicks her tongue against the back of her teeth.

“Wasn’t _lasting_ damage,” Natsume grumbles.

Touko laughs softly, “Be careful, okay, Takashi-kun? I’d rather you not get so hurt next time.”

“I’ll try,” Natsume promises, “Sorry for the trouble.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Touko says softly, “It’s okay.”

Natsume closes his eyes and leans into her touch, “Okay,” he repeats, “Once I heal, I’ll try again.”

“Will Nyanko be protecting you better this time?”

“He did his best,” Natsume murmurs, “Wasn’t his fault.”

“He could do better.”

Natsume laughs a bit, “You didn’t tell him that, did you?”

“I absolutely did. He gave me the rudest look but nodded. That old cat. Why I’ve half a mind to draw one of Taki-chan’s circles just so I can hear him say _yes ma’am_ out loud.”

Natsume shakes his head, “It’s alright, Touko-san.”

“Of course it is,” Touko smooths back his hair, “Because you’re alright. I just don’t want to see you hurt. I’m an old selfish bat.”

“No. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Touko kisses his cheek, “You plan to bring anyone else with you, other than Nyanko, the next time you take a little excursion?”

“No. The dragon was just scared. The others—they wouldn’t understand that. Or even if they did, their worry for me would override that knowledge.”

“You could take me.”

“I could,” Natsume hums, “But I won’t.”

“I’m a witch, though,” Touko smiles, “Just a bit out of practice.”

“…You won’t take no for an answer, will you?”

Touko laughs, light and tinkling, and Natsume knows what she wants to say without needing to hear it.

“Alright,” he says, and holds her hand, “Thank you.”

* * *

“I can teach you how to fly,” Touko says, hovering above the ground on her old broom, drifting lazily around. “So you don’t have to climb the mountain.”

“I thought you had to be a witch to do that.”

“Anyone can be a witch,” Touko says, “It isn’t like your gift, Takashi-kun. Being a witch just requires practice and experience.”

“What kind of experience?”

“The kind that comes with practice,” Touko smiles, “It’ll take some time before you can fly up a mountain, though.”

“How much time?”

“A week or two,” Touko circles, “But these youkai are immortal, right? And you’d save me a lot of worry.”

“…Okay,” Natsume says hesitantly, “Thank you.”

“Stop thanking me. It’s for my peace of mind more than yours.”

He laughs and asks, “How do I start?”

* * *

“Your goal,” Shigeru says, “Is to not fall into the river.”

“I can do that,” Natsume says.

An hour later, dripping wet on the doorstep, he regrets saying that.

* * *

“You’re wobbling,” Nishimura says, biking as Natsume tries to glide next to Kitamoto, “Try to relax a bit more.”

“ _You’ve_ never done this before,” Kitamoto points out, “I’m the one who’s flying.”

“I’ve grown up with you messing up flying. I was the one who saw you face plant into this bridge like ten billion times,” Nishimura snickers, “I know what to do.”

“Don’t trust him,” Kitamoto says, “Nishimura’s an idiot.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

Natsume falls off his broom.

* * *

“You can’t eat and fly at the same time,” Kitamoto says at lunchtime.

“ _You’re_ doing it,” Natsume points out.

“I have experience.”

“The best way to gain experience is by trying, right?”

“You can barely fly straight, Natsume. You fell off your broom five times on the way to school. There is no way you should be eating while flying.”

“But I want to master it as fast as I can.”

“Then fly during class,” Nishimura suggests.

“That’s disrespectful.”

“No it’s not.”

Kitamoto snickers, “Says the guy who sleeps through the lessons. What would _you_ know of respect?”

Nishimura shoves Kitamoto off his broom.

Natsume opts to eat on the ground.

* * *

“You’re doing great,” Taki says.

Natsume looks at Tanuma, who’s trying his best not to laugh as Natsume awkwardly attempts to hang onto the broom, and decides that Taki is probably lying.

“No, she’s right,” Tanuma says, “You’re doing great.”

“How dare you lie to my face like this.”

Tanuma bursts into laughter, “You just look nervous, that’s all. I think if you calm down—“

Natsume groans, but doesn’t fall off.

* * *

“You’re doing great,” Touko claps her hands together, “You only fell in the river once today!”

“And you looked absolutely ridiculous that one time,” Nishimura claps a hand to Natsume’s back, “I’ve got pictures.”

Natsume sighs and resigns himself as Touko asks for a copy.”

* * *

“Remember to pay attention,” Kitamoto says, weaving effortlessly through trees and under branches, “In the forest, obstacles don’t stop coming.”

“Right,” Natsume says nervously, “And if I don’t pay attention—“

“I needed a few stitches,” Kitamoto admits, “But I’m sure you won’t!”

Natsume sighs and tells himself it’ll be worth it, to fly up to the dragon.

* * *

“Over the river,” Taki says, a camera in hand.

“Did Nishimura tell you to take pictures?” Natsume demands.

“Yes,” Taki says, shamelessly.

Half an hour later, Natsume is still dry and ready.

* * *

“ _Tian_ ,” he breathes, ink and paper between his teeth and the dragon’s scales shine ever blue.


End file.
